Lockstitch knit fabric



Aug. 6, 1935. w. MENDEL ET AL LOCKSTITCH KNIT FABRIC Fil ed Oct. 14,1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG 1.

Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES LOCKSTITCH KNIT FABRIC WilliamMendel, Beverly,

N. J., assignors to Neidicli Gel-Lus- Burlington,

and Joseph Titone,

Tra Corporation, Burlington, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication October 14, 1933, Serial No. 693,582

7 Claims.

Our invention relates to fabric which may be knit upon a flat machine ofthe Raschel type, and is advantageously employed in the manufacture ofcorseting garments.

As hereinafter described, a fabric in accordance with our inventionincludes a continuous, integrally knit, self-edged strip adapted forforming a plurality of garments. Such a strip in its simplest formcomprises two longitudinal series of fiat sections of elastic fabric,individually disposed in alternate relation, the sections of one seriesbeing more yielding than the sections of the other series; said stripbeing adapted to be severed intermediate of the more yielding sections;thus forming separate pieces of fabric each including a section of lessyielding fabric inter-- mediate of parts of sections of more yieldingfabric. The opposite ends of eachsuch piece may then be connected toform a corseting garment zone. Such a strip may, of course, be made ofany desired width; for instance, it may be very narrow to form a merebelt or girdle, wider to form a bodice, and still wider if the garmentis to extend downward over the hips of the wearer. The less yieldingportion of such zones affords a desirable abdominal support, the moreyielding portion thereof, coming at the back of the garment, permittingthe wearer to bend at the waist and hips without vertical slidingmovement of the garment at the back. Such a strip may have alongitudinal series of concavoconvex breast pockets atone edge thereof,respectively in registry with the individual sections of the fabricwhich are less yielding; so that when the strip is severed as abovecontemplated, each piece.

thereof includes a section of lessyielding fabric and a breast pocket,intermediate of parts of sections of more yielding fabric. Such a stripis;

therefore, adapted for forming brassieres and bodices. Moreover, in themost complex form of our invention, which we have chosen for,illustration, we provide a longitudinal series of fiat sections of stillmore yielding fabric, individuallyinterposed between said breast pocketsand connecting said pockets in longitudinally spaced'relation; and aband of such most yieldingfabric interposed between said breastpocketsand the adjoining flat sections of elastic fabric first'men tioned andintegrally connected therewith; so that the garment is most yielding ina zone around the breasts. Moreover, in the form of garment illustrated,whichis designedto afford a constricting sheath for the buttocks andupper portions of the thighs of the wearer, extending both above andbelow the plane of maximum girth of the Our invention includes thevarious novel fea- 1 tures of construction, arrangement, and procedurehereinafter more definitely specified; for instance, each of the breastpockets may be gored and seamed to shape it to form separatecompartments for the breasts.

As hereinafter described, our improved. fabric is composed of threadswhich are elastic and inelastic per se. Such component threads may be ofany kind, but we prefer to use elastic threads which have a core ofmaterial which is elastic per se, spirally wrapped with inelasticthread.

For instance, such cores may be strips, of rectangular cross section,cut from a sheet of vulcanized rubber, or may be formed of extrudedlatex, vulcanized or otherwise congealed in cylindrical form.

It is characteristic of said knit fabric strip and the tubular garmentsmade therefrom that they are formed entirely of threads which extendlongitudinally in the strip, and, consequently, circumferentially in thetube, except for the lateral looping which forms the lockstitches. Suchlockstitch fabric has-the advantage that the threads will not run fromany hole made in the fabric.

In said drawings, 'Fig. I is aperspective view of a fabric in accordancewith our invention which is wide enough to form a corseting garment witha brassire top and thigh sheath skirt.

Fig. II is a perspective view of such a corseting garment, formed fromthe piece of fabric. shown.

in Fig. I by sewing the cut ends thereof together at the back. I

Fig. III is adiagram-showing a preferable pattern arrangement of thethreads at the central and upper portion of thefabric-shown in I. V Fig.IV, is a diagram showing a'preferable pat tern arrangement of thethreads in the fabric of Fig. I in the extensions between the'breastpockets.

Referring to Fig. I; the continuous integrally Y knit self-edged strip lcomprises two longitudinal series of flat knit sections of elasticfabric, re

spectively 2 and 3, individually disposed in 9.1- u

ternate relation, the sections 2 being more yielding than the sections3.

A longitudinal series of concavo convex breast pockets 5 are formed atone edge of said strip l respectively in registry with the individualsections of the less yielding fabric 3. A longitudinal series of flatknit sections of fabric 6, still more yielding than the fabric 2, areindividually interposed between said breast pockets 5 and connect saidpockets in longitudinally spaced relation. The band I of most yieldingfabric such as 6 is interposed between said breast pockets 5 and theadjoining flat sections 2 and 3 of elastic fabric and integrallyconnected therewith throughout the length of said strip. The band 8,which is coextensive with the strip and interposed between the band 1and said sections 6, is formed of the same most elastic fabric butmerely for purposes of ornamentation said band 8 is defined by theomission of threads extending longitudinally in the fabric at each edgeof said band.

The effect of the construction and arrangement above described is thatthe most elastic portion of the fabric includes the sections 6 and thebands I and 8 which are designed to encircle the breast o the wearer.

We prefer to form the border It, at the edge of the strip opposite tothe series of breast pockets 5, of fabric which is elasticlongitudinally with respect to the strip but inelastic laterally so asto afford a firm foundation for the attachment of garter hangers H orother suspensory elements. It may be observed that said border It!comprises a front portion of the garment nonelastic along its transversedimension, i. e., vertically in Fig. II, and secured to the rear portionof the garment, as indicated in that figure.

Said strip I is severed transversely, as indicated by the full lines 13and M in Fig. I, which are intermediate of the length of the sections 2between adjoining breast pockets 5; thus forming separate pieces offabric each including a breast pocket with flat sections at oppositeends thereof, as indicated in full lines in Fig. I. The opposite ends ofeach such piece, indicated at l3 and H in Fig. I, may then be connectedas indicated at IS in Fig. II to form a tubular corseting garment l6,including the skirt II, which may be held in position on the body of thewearer by its elasticity and extend down over the hips as a constrictingsheath for the buttocks and upper portion of the thighs. Of course, saidgarment extends both above and below the plane of maximum girth of thewearer at the rear.

Although such a garment may be thus formed of uniform circumference fromthe bottom to the top thereof, we prefer to cut away the opposite endsof the piece of fabric, as indicated by the dash lines H3 in Fig. I, sothat when the ends thus out are connected from the top to the bottom ofthe garment by the suture I5, the garment is of greater circumferencearound the hips than at the top.

In order to form separate compartments in the pocket 5 for; therespective breasts, we find it convenient to cut from said fabric a gore20 which, as indicated by dash lines in Fig. I, is wide at the middleand tapers toward each breast, and to scam the edges of the gore openingin said fabric l in said pocket 5 together to form a-dart 2|, asindicated in Fig. II.

The flat knitting machine upon which said fabric is formed includes afront needle bar, a back needle bar, and three guide bars for thethread. Said fabric is conveniently formed of three different kinds ofthread, to wit, mercerized cotton threads 23, 24, 25, and 2B,lightweight elastic threads 21, 28, and 29, and heavyweight elasticthreads 3|, 32, 33, and 34, respectively directed to the needles by theguide bars.

The fabric of the sections 3 may be made less yielding than the fabricof sections 2 by knitting the former under greater tension than thelatter. However, they may, of course, be made of respectively differentpatterns of threads to attain the desired different degrees ofelasticity.

We have shown in Fig. III a preferable pattern arrangement of thethreads at the central portion of the fabric shown in Fig. 1, includingthe breast pocket 5, and have shown in Fig. IV a preferable patternarrangement of the threads in the fabric of Fig. I between the breastpockets 5. However, we prefer. to extend such of the threads as appearin both Figs. III and. IV continuously from end to end of the strip l.Such continuous threads include all but the mercerized threads 25 andlight elastic threads 29, which do not extend through the breastpockets. Consequently the fabric of the pockets 5 is of lighter texturethan the fabric 6 etc., between the poohets. Moreover, we may modify thefabric of the pockets 5 to further lighten it by omitting the mercerizedthreads 24 therefrom, and it is to be understood'that any other patternsmay be employed in said fabrics.

Therefore, we do not desire to limit ourselves to the precise details ofconstruction, arrangement, or method of manufacture herein set forth, asit is obvious that various modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the essential features of our invention, as defined inthe appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a lockstitch knit elastic fabric, for corseting garments; thecombination, in a continuous integrally knit self-edged strip, of twoseries of flat sections of elastic fabric, individually disposed inalternate relation, the sections of one series being more yielding thanthe sections of the other series; all of the threads forming said fabricextending longitudinally therein, but having lateral interloops formingthe lockstitches for preventing any run in said fabric from any holemade therein; said strip being adapted to be severed intermediate of themore yielding sections; thus forming separate pieces of fabric eachincluding a section of less yielding fabric inter-' mediate of parts ofsections of more yielding fabric.

2. In a lockstitoh knit elastic fabric, for corseting garments; thecombination, in a continuous integrally knit self-edged strip, of twoseries of flat sections of elastic fabric, individually disposed inalternate relation, the sections of one series being more yielding thanthe sections of the other series; and a longitudinal series of concavoconvex breast pockets at one edge of said strip, respectively inregistry with the individual sections of the less yielding fabric; allof the threads forming said fabric extending longitudinally therein, buthaving lateral interloops forming the lockstitches for preventing anyrun in said fabric from any hole made therein; said strip being adaptedto be severed intermediate of the more yielding sections; thus formingseparate pieces of fabric each including a. section of less yieldingfabric and a breast pocket, inter- ;ngdiate of parts of sections of moreyielding a r c.

3. In a lockstitch knit elastic fabric, for corseting garments; thecombination, in a continuous integrally knit self-edged strip, of twoseries of fiat sections of elastic fabric, individually disposed inalternate relation, the sections of one series being more yielding thanthe sections of the other series; a longitudinal series of concavoconvex breast pockets at one edge of said strip, respectively inregistry with the individual sections of the less yielding fabric; and alongitudinal series of flat sections of still more yielding fabricindividually interposed between said breast pockets and connecting saidpockets in longitudinally spaced relation; all of the threads formingsaid fabric extending longitudinally therein, but having lateralinterloops forming the lockstitches for preventing any run in saidfabric from any hole made therein; said strip being adapted to besevered intermediate of the more yielding sections; thus formingseparate pieces of fabric each including a section of less yieldingfabric and a breast pocket, intermediate of parts of sections of moreyielding fabric.

4. In a lockstitch knit elastic fabric, for corseting garments; thecombination, in a continuous integrally knit self-edged strip, of twoseries of flat sections of elastic fabric, individually disposed inalternate relation, the sections of. one series being more yielding thanthe sections of the other series; a longitudinal series of concavoconvexbreast pockets at one edge of said strip, respectively in registrywith the individual sections of the less yielding fabric; a longitudinalseries of flat sections of still more yielding fabric individuallyinterposed between said breast pockets and connecting said pockets inlongitudinally spaced relation; and a band of most yielding fabricinterposed between said breast pockets and the adjoining flat sectionsof elastic fabric and integrally connected therewith throughout thelength of said strip; all of the threads forming said fabric extendinglongitudinally therein, but having lateral interloops forming thelockstitches for preventing any run in said fabric from any hole madetherein; said strip being adapted to be severed intermediate of the moreyielding sections; thus forming separate pieces of. fabric eachincluding a section of less yielding fabric and a breast pocket,intermediate of parts of sections of more yielding fabric.

5. A process of forming a plurality of elastic corseting garments whichconsists first in forming a continuous integrally knit self-edged strip,including two series of flat sections of elastic fabric, individuallydisposed in alternate relation, the sections of one series being moreyelding than the sections of the other series; severing said stripintermediate of the length of the more yielding sections; thus formingseparate pieces of fabric each including a section of less yieldingfabric intermediate of parts of sections of more yielding fabric; thenconnecting the opposite ends of each such piece to form a corsetinggarment zone.

6. A process of forming a plurality of elastic corseting garments whichconsists first in forming a continuous integrally knit self-edged strip,

including two series of flat sections of elastic fabric, individuallydisposed in alternate relation, the sections of one series being moreyielding than the sections of the other series; and including alongitudinal series of concavo convex breast pockets at one edge of saidstrip, respectively in registry with the individual sections of the lessyielding fabric; severing said strip intermediate of. the length of themore yielding sections; thus forming separate pieces of fabric eachincluding a section of less yielding fabric and a breast pocketintermediate of parts of sections of more yielding fabric;thenconnecting the opposite ends of each such piece to form a corsetinggarment zone.

'7. A process as in claim 6, including the steps of cutting a goreopening in each breast pocket and seaming the edges of the openingtogether to form a dart to divide said pocket in separate compartmentsfor the respective breasts.

WILLIAM MENDEL. JOSEPH TITONE.

